Anthony Peraica
Background * Candidate in 2008 general election in Illinois for State’s Attorney * http://www.peraica.com/ * http://www.joinperaica.com/ * wikipedia:Tony Peraica Details Tony Peraica has lived the American dream. :harvested Oct 31, 2008 from http://www.joinperaica.com/about/ Born 51 years ago in Croatia, Tony came to America at the age of 13, after losing both of his parents, unable to speak a word of English. Despite his circumstances, Tony persevered and went on to earn his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Chicago and J.D. from The John Marshall Law School. Tony was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1984. During the ensuing 20 years, Tony built a thriving law practice. In addition to his professional pursuits, Tony has stayed very involved in his community. From 1990 to 1992 he served as a Special Assistant for the Attorney General of Illinois. He founded the South Loop Chamber of Commerce in 1990 and is currently the Commerce Secretary. From 1995 to 1997, Tony served as the International Vice President for the Boy Scouts of America. In 1996, Tony was appointed by former Governor Jim Edgar to the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation where he served four years. Tony is very proud of his ethnic heritage. He served as the National President of the Croatian American Association for 5 years (1992 - 1995 and 1997) and is currently the Illinois President. In 2000, Peraica was honored as the "Man of the Year" by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. Tony sought county offices previously as the Republican nominee for Cook County Treasurer in 1998. In the 2002 primary, Tony was elected as the Lyons Township Republican Committeeman. Later that year, he was elected to the 16th District seat on the Cook County Board of Commissioners where he has served since 2003. In 2006, Tony was re-elected to both the Lyons Township Republican Committeeman and the 16th District seat on the Cook County Board. Tony credits his accomplishments to the support of Nilo, his loving wife of 29 years, and his two wonderful children, Marko and Anisa. He and his family live in Riverside, Illinois. Fighting the Cook County Machine...AND WINNING... Tony's election record since 2001: ELECTION OFFICE RESULT MARCH/2002 LYONS COMMITTEEMAN WON MARCH/2002 COOK COUNTY COMMISSIONER WON NOV/2002 COOK COUNTY COMMISSIONER WON MARCH/2006 LYONS COMMITTEEMAN WON MARCH/2006 COOK COUNTY BOARD PRESIDENT WON** MARCH/2006 COOK COUNTY COMMISSIONER WON NOV/2006 COOK COUNTY COMMISSIONER WON NOV/2006 COOK COUNTY BOARD PRESIDENT LOST* FEB/2008 COOK COUNTY STATES ATTORNEY WON** * MOST VOTES EVER RECEIVED BY A REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE IN COOK COUNTY……596,210 (47%) ** PRIMARY ELECTION Issues Fighting Corruption and Fraud in County Government A successful attorney, business owner and Cook County Commissioner - Tony Peraica has been the county's leading voice for reform. He opposed the recent masssive tax increases passed by the County Board - which robbed the taxpayers' pocketbooks to pay for increased illegal patronage hiring, waste and abuse. He has uncovered millions of dollars in waste, fraud and abuse - and continues his "Sunlight Project" that includes posting the salaries of county employees online for ready public access. The best way to fight tax increases is by fighting the corruption that drains tens of millions of dollars from the county budget. As State's Attorney, Tony will use the office's subpoena power to reform Cook County government. He will aggressively prosecute political insiders who break the law to profit from the rampant waste, fraud and corruption that enriches them at the expense of Cook County residents and taxpayers. There is no stronger opponent of Cook County corruption than Tony Peraica. Prosecuting Misuse of Federal Homeland Security Funds A recent Fox News Chicago report entitled, "Millions of Dollars Wasted on Cook County Homeland Security Project" (3/15/07) provided a troubling look at how $30 million in federal funds meant to protect our citizens are being misused. The funds were distributed to the county as part of an effort called "Project Shield." This assault on our public safety is unacceptable - and Tony Peraica has led the charge to investigate this misuse of funds. Earlier this year, Tony called on the Cook County-area Congressional delegation, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitgerald and Cook County Inspector General Joseph Price to investigate these reports. We believe the project mentioned in the Fox News Chicago report is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the misuse of federal Homeland Security funds. As State's Attorney, Tony will aggressively investigate and prosecute any and all misuse of federal dollars meant to serve Cook County residents and taxpayers - especially Homeland Security funds that are supposed to be protecting the health and well-being of our families. Putting Public Safety over Politics In August 2007, during a political rally, Cook County State's Attorney Dick Devine's top deputy, Bob Milan, declared that the office of Cook County State's Attorney should be the "largest political organization in the state." Quite the contrary. The office of Cook County State's Attorney is the top law enforcement in the county - it should be operated to champion public safety ... not politics. For years, the office of State's Attorney has allowed politics to prevent its prosecution of the rampant fraud and corruption that has endangered our citizens and led to bloated budgets that are costing taxpayers millions. As State's Attorney, Tony Peraica will join U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald in aggressively targeting corruption, prosecuting criminals and ensuring the safety of our residents and taxpayers ... putting public safety over politics. Protecting Our Children from Predators and Offenders A committed husband and father, Tony Peraica knows the challenges parents face in protecting their families and children from dangerous predators and offenders. Tony will ensure the Office of State's Attorney coordinates closely with all levels of law enforcement to investigate and prosecute these offenders. He will also work with local educators and community groups to help educate parents about how to protect their children. This includes protection against online predators. Tony's goal is to reduce online predatory crimes, increase the level of reporting of criminal activity, and educate the community to help them protect their families against these dangerous offenders. Providing Superior Services to Crime Victims Tony Peraica will champion the rights of crime victims, and work to ensure top-notch service to victims of crime. One of the most basic rights of crime victims is the right to be notified of significant events, including the custody of offenders, and important court dates. Tony will ensure flawless execution of the county's automated victim notification system ... as well as VINElink, the county's online victim notification system. Tony will also work to protect the rights afforded to crime victims under Illinois law: - The right to be treated with fairness and respect for their dignity and privacy throughout the criminal justice process. - The right to notification of court proceedings. - The right to confer with the prosecution. - The right to make a statement to the court at sentencing. - The right to information about the conviction, sentence, imprisonment, and release of the accused. - The right to timely disposition of the case following the arrest of the accused; - The right to be reasonably protected from the accused throughout the criminal justice process. - The right to be present at the trial and all other court proceedings on the same basis as the accused, unless the victim is to testify and the court determines that the victim's testimony would be materially affected if the victim hears other testimony at the trial. - The right to have present at all court proceedings, subject to the rules of evidence, an advocate or other support person of the victim's choice. - The right to restitution. Protecting Seniors and the Disabled from Frauds and Scams Tony will work to identify and aggressively prosecute those who cheat or deceive the elderly, focusing the State's Attorney office efforts at: - The advertising and sale of insurance and retirement-oriented investments, financial planning services, estate planning and legal services directed at seniors; - The advertising and sale of home improvements, medical devices and other services and products that target seniors; and - Telemarketing and mail fraud aimed at senior citizens. In addition to aggressive criminal prosecution in this area, Tony will ensure the State's Attorney office has vigorous public outreach to educate the Senior Community about these crimes to encourage prevention and citizen action. Peraice,Anthony category:candidate